Social-ecological correlates of acculturative stress among Latina/o and Black Caribbean immigrants in the United States: A scoping review

Abstract Acculturative stress is associated with poor mental health outcomes; however, few studies have examined this type of stress within immigrants’ broader social-ecological context. Furthermore, it remains unclear which stressors are unique to first-generation immigrants, who are at a higher risk of experiencing acculturative stress during intercultural contact. Informed by the social-ecological framework, this scoping review examines the unique and integrative correlates of acculturative stress among first-generation Latina/o and Black Caribbean immigrants, and articulates social-ecologically based recommendations. Forty articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2019 were examined. Correlates of acculturative stress were organized across five levels of influence: individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and policy. Language barriers, personal experiences in the U.S., socioeconomic status, religion, coping strategies, ethnic beliefs and values, social support, family dynamics, fears related to status, neighborhood characteristics, and discrimination were significant correlates of acculturative stress. Existing research assessing social-ecological correlates of acculturative stress addressed primarily individual and interpersonal level factors, limiting the explanatory power of this review in identifying how root causes of acculturative stress intersect and ultimately influence mental health. Overreliance on a small amount of national or large data sets, lack of variation in research design, and limited research among Afro-Latina/o and Black Caribbean immigrants all contribute to the restricted boundaries of this area of study. Unlike many factors that influence immigrant mental health, acculturative stress is potentially modifiable through social-ecological levels of intervention; thus, we offer recommendations that could be implemented to facilitate psychological adjustments and reduce risk for mental illness.